The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for macerating meat products to improve the texture, water holding capacity and tenderness thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved apparatus for macerating meat products by passing the meat products through a pair of parallel rotating shafts having radially extending teeth which project into the meat and break up meat tissues.
It is well known that the water holding capacity and the textural properties of processed meat products can be greatly improved by macerating raw materials prior to further processing. Maceration results in the rupturing or tearing of the raw material muscle fibers. This physical action results in increased protein solubilization and exposes more surface area or `binding sites` for water molecules. After maceration, the bonding ability of the muscle pieces is also enhanced, which allows macerated meat products to be more easily joined together, such as by physical pressure, and then subsequently molded and cooked.
Maceration further results in reduced holding time from the time of non-meat ingredient addition to cooking because it increases the surface area of the meat product, which results in deeper, more rapid penetration and quicker intake of these non-meat ingredients into the muscle fibers.
Many devices exist in the art for macerating meat. Typically these macerating devices include rotary circular blades, radial tines, or relatively broad teeth which are either mounted on a single shaft supported above a meat-supporting or conveying table or which are mounted on a pair of spaced-apart opposing rotating shafts having a central gap therebetween through which the meat product passes. However, these devices suffer from certain disadvantages. In one aspect, the macerating rotating shafts are usually composed of a plurality of macerating members and spacing components which are assembled onto a base shaft. The use of multiple individual components increases the time and effort required to clean the macerating shafts because the shafts must be completely disassembled to ensure that no meat juices or tissue remnants remain on any of the components which would pose a bacteriological problem. In another aspect, where a stripper member or comb is used with multi-component macerating shafts to remove meat from the intervening spaces between the macerating components, the comb may tend to force tissue remnants into the spaces between the spacer and macerating components, thereby necessitating more frequent cleaning of the macerating shafts.
The present invention is directed to a construction which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages. In a macerating apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, a pair of rotating macerating rollers or shafts are disposed generally parallel to each other in a spaced-apart relationship to define a gap therebetween through which meat products are drawn. The macerating shafts each have a formed one-piece arbor affixed to it, which arbor has a plurality of radially projecting macerating portions or teeth which are disposed on the respective longitudinal axes of the shafts. Adjacent macerating teeth are separated by spacer portions which serve to define a plurality of channels between the macerating teeth. The two macerating shafts are aligned in an axially offset manner such that the macerating teeth of one shaft project into the channels of the other shaft. The macerating teeth are generally triangular in shape and have respective meat contacting and penetrating peripheral edges. These peripheral edges are axially directed and have a sufficient thickness to effect shallow penetration of the meat in the plane perpendicular to the direction of travel of the meat through the macerator. The macerating teeth project only a short distance into the separating channels of the opposing shaft so that a shallower penetration and greater compression of the meat product is obtained. The one-piece construction of the macerating shaft arbors minimizes the cleaning time thereof and reduces the likelihood of the accumulation of meat product tissues on the arbors over time.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for macerating meat products by passing the meat products through a pair of counter-rotating opposing macerating shafts.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for macerating meat products by passing the meat products through a pair of counter-rotating macerating shafts, wherein each of the macerating shafts includes a one-piece arbor affixed thereto, each arbor having a plurality of radial rings projecting outwardly and separated from each other by spacer portions.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a macerator wherein the macerating shafts have a plurality of macerating rings which project radially outwardly from the shaft and wherein the peripheral edges of the macerating rings include a series of teeth having a relatively sharp cutting edge disposed in an axial plane parallel to that of the shaft.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved macerator apparatus having macerating shafts of substantially one-piece integral construction which improves the sanitary characteristics thereof.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for macerating meat products in which shallow penetration of the meat is obtained in the axial plane of the meat product.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved macerator apparatus that effects a superior crushing action as opposed to a cutting action on the meat which crushing action results in finished product color uniformity enhancement which enhancement is believed to be due to improved dispersion of heme pigments resulting from increased cell membrane disruption.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.